Borderline Murder
by Wynter-Solstice
Summary: There's someone who's trying to destroy Gustavo's success... and to do that, they're going to destroy Big Time Rush.
1. Unknown Fear

**Quite honestly, this is my first fanfic with BTR about... something other than romance? Yep. The only thing is, I'm writing this as it comes to me so my speed of updating would be based on how inspired to write I feel, or if I'm not too tired after chores... Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER ONE<strong>

"I'm feeling hungry now," Carlos whispered to James as Gustavo made yet another circle around his studio, "Is there any reason at all why he's doing that?"

James merely shrugged as proceeded to check his hair in his hand-held mirror. Apparently, at eight o' clock in the night, he just zoned out from whatever madness Gustavo did. Sighing, Carlos dug his hands in his pocket, hoping that he wasn't a good boy who emptied his pockets every time he changed clothes. Of course not.

"Oooohhhh... bubblegum," he crooned excitedly, a lot louder than he intended, and in a second, he was already happily chewing the cherry-flavoured gum. "Hey Carlitos," a voice called from the couch. The Latino turned, only to see Logan lying face up, for once looking as bored as Carlos felt. "I want one," he whispered, looking as though at any minute he was going to faint from dehydration. Hunger was attacking his stomach and for all he knew, it was going to be his only meal for a long time but, "Take the pack," Carlos replied, tossing it in a graceful arch.

Logan smiled weakly in thanks as Latino returned his attention to Gustavo.

Why was he doing that? Only two hours ago they were rehearsing their new song _If I Ruled the World_ and then... something happened that made Gustavo lose his train of focus. "Hmmm..." Carlos reeled internally, "What was it?" But he gave up in a matter of seconds. The truth was, he didn't remember tiny details like that. I mean, if you asked him what flavour of cappuccino Gustavo was having, naturally he would know that... but what changed the atmosphere of the song-writer's aura, no way.

But Logan would know. That's why he was Logan.

Fortunately, the brunette was now sitting up on his seat reading a magazine. A good sign.

"Logan?" Carlos said, trying to get his attention.

The latter put down the magazine and looked at the other with an amused expression. He raised his eyebrows and briefly Carlos wondered if Logan thought he was intruding. "James isn't doing anything important Carlos," he said matter-of-factly, "And I REALLY want to sleep right now... so, can you go bother him?"

Carlos felt slightly put-off, but he forged ahead nevertheless. "I needed to ask YOU something, not James. And besides, who reads to fall asleep? Everyone knows you eat instead."

Logan smiled at that. "Sorry buddy. I'm easily peeved when I'm tired."

"Aren't we all?" Carlos thought. But he voiced, "It's about Gustavo."

"From when Griffin came in or before?"

"Griffin came!" he exclaimed. How could he have not seen him? But then, there were many things Carlos missed, except food, and his helmet.

"Yeah..." Logan said, looking at the boy as though he were crazy (for all he knew if could be the truth), "Remember, he said something to Gustavo and he went kooky afterwards?"

Carlos made a face that translated to mean: What in the world are you talking about? He followed up by asking, "Should we go talk to him?"

"We can but try. Call James."

"On it," Carlos said, saluting his friend. Turning on James he tackled the taller brunette to the ground.

"That was one way," Logan sighed, opening the door, leaving the two boys to settle their differences alone. There were times when he didn't want a second headache.

...

Quite unlike his character, James led Gustavo on the seat before trying to get the answers that could only fire up their curiosity a bit further.

"So Gustavo," donning his best professional voice, "What seems to be the problem?"

Gustavo shot him a shocked look, but then returned his gaze to the carpet. "It's not something I can you boys."

Carlos elbowed James straight into his side. "CARLOS! You do that again and I'm going to sit on you," he hissed.

"Oww... but...but... but ... Gustavo called us _boys, _and not dogs," the Latino sighed, rubbing the spot where James had poked him back.

"Wait, you're right. Something's definitely wrong," Logan whispered back to them, so that Gustavo wouldn't hear.

Logan got up and began pacing the floor. "Seriously, what are you doing dude," James asked.

"Just wait," his friend mouthed.

...

It took several minutes, but soon, Logan's movements got to Gustavo and he cracked.

"Okay. Fine. I'll tell you dogs... And Logan, stop doing that. It's annoying."

The boys smiled at each other, as Gustavo cleared his throat about to speak.

But then, someone opened the door... Pale light drifting in from the corridor, making the person's image seem more like a silhouette.

"Wait, Kendall? What are you doing there? And when did you leave?"

* * *

><p>Kendall slumped down into the chair next to them, staring at Gustavo with a peculiar expression. Most un-Kendall-like. Kendall was scarcely rude anymore but now, there was something about his look that made him look almost upset.<p>

"So... Gustavo. When were you planning to tell us about the mega- cross-America tour?" Kendall asked, "The tour that was going to rake in quarter million plus, according to Griffin."

Gustavo looked pained. Unnatural for him, but the situation sort of needed it. Now everyone wanted answers. "I can't answer your question with answering Logan's first."

"Well, go ahead," Kendall said, leaning back.

"It happened ten years ago... when I had another band, called _Roque Boyz... _specializing in rock music," he smiled at his personal joke but continued, "They were good... really good... and Griffin offered them the same thing he's giving you dogs now... And they took it naturally."

He shuddered, "And that day they left for Houston was probably the last day I saw them again."

"They left you?" Carlos asked.

"No... they went missing, permanently."

Silence. Dead silence. Except for the hum of the air-conditioning but then no one was listening to it.

"If _that _really happened," Kendall said, sounding genuinely shaken, "Then why did Griffin call me to get me to convince you to send us?"

"You know Griffin by now. He only cares about his money."

"So you don't know what happened to them? Did they even make their first concert?"

Tears were flowing down Gustavo's face now. He was saying something under his breath before replying. Something like, "I can't let that happen to my boys."

Despite the tense situation, BTR couldn't help but smile. Gustavo actually cared about them.

"The tour bus... It was found on the border between New Mexico and Texas. There seemed to have been an attack."

"And nothing came out of it?"

"No proof. And no clue who would want to kill a couple of innocent boys for nothing."

"Unless they wanted Rocke Records to lose a lot of money," James pointed out.

"Do you guys really want to go?" Gustavo asked, "Knowing all that?"

"Gustavo, it happened ten years ago. The people behind it could have died by now, for all we know. And besides, according to you, the _exposure_ will be good for us."

"Boys, what will I do without you?" he reminisced, "But for the record, I'm staying with you guys."

...

Gustavo left the room, leaving BTR to sweat it out alone.

"You have to admit, that was scary," Carlos said, "Wish I never asked."

"Come on, guys. You seriously are going to be scared by a _story?_"

Carlos and James nodded simultaneously.

Kendall rolled his eyes.

"Trust me, guys. Nothing will happen once we're together."


	2. Unanswered Questions

**CHAPTER TWO **

"You know, if there was one thing I didn't understand," James began, "Was how come Gustavo conceded to letting us go so quickly."

"He's coming with us too, isn't he?" Logan pointed out, almost asking it.

"Yes... that's what he said," Kendall said, attempting to clear all doubts, "But James is right. He did agree pretty easily."

"Any reason, you think?" Carlos asked, sticking a corn dog in his mouth.

They sat in the silence of the Palm Woods lobby, trying to figure it out, Carlos' incessant chewing breaking their trend of thought.

"Could you stop that!" the three boys shouted simultaneously, their voices echoing down the hall. They cut off. "That was loud. Let's hope Bitters isn't awake because of us."

They shared a silent joke, still wondering. "Do you think we should ask him?" Carlos questioned, "It'll be easier than thinking it so much."

Logan picked him up on it. "Yes it would be easier but who said he was going to be honest with us?"

"So..." James drew on, "Does that mean I have to find my tree hat?" The four boys exchanged looks of excitement. There were no words needed to explain their internal desires.

...

"What do we know?" Kendall asked as they prepared to part for the night, "We might as well do this in an organised manner... Okay, that wouldn't ever work out but it's good to try."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Griffin wants the millions he lost with _the Rocque Boyz_."

"Gustavo doesn't want anything to happen to us." Carlos gave a small smile after saying that.

"And he thinks that we are going under own free will."

"So if anyone asks, BTR wanted the exposure," Kendall finished.

"Things don't add up," They conceded, "He wants us to go, but not really? Does that even make sense? And even so, Gustavo seems to much rather want to keep us here in California than allowing us to go cross-country."

"Hmmmm..."

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><p><strong>MEANWHILE, AT ROCKE RECORDS. . .<strong>

"You ARE aware, Griffin, that I'm sending the boys only because you threatened to fire me."

Griffin made a visible attempt at smiling at Gustavo's conflicting opinions. "Face it, you want the fame as much as I want my millions," he hissed.

"If anything happens to them..."

"But nothing will, Gustavo. Freight Train would see to that. YOU, my dear employee, are getting worked up for nothing."

"NOTHING? _Rocque Boyz _DIED because of this deal. How do we know the killers are not still on the loose?"

"How are you so sure they would be after Big Time Rush?" Griffin replied, as calm as was not possible for someone to be under tense situations as was that. But then, he was the boss... and NO ONE, not even Gustavo Rocque, could tell him what to do.

"Griffin, please try to understand..."

"No, Gustavo, you listen to me." The man was dumbstruck. Was his employer really talking to him like that? "Big Time Rush IS going to Houston, YOU are going to be _waiting _for them there, and Freight Train in a private SUV following them."

"Black?" Gustavo sighed, the wind gone from beneath his wings.

"Naturally. What other colour do you want private guards to be seen in?"

"They're not supposed to be seen."

"Precisely."

As the men left the room, no one paid attention to the person hiding in the shadows, a voice recorder clearly evident in her hand. . . .

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><p><strong>NEXT DAY<strong>

The sky was overcast. Streaks of lightning found themselves racing across the bleak sky, simultaneously accompanied by a loud roar of noise. The setting lengthened the time in bed the boys wanted to stay in bed and it was therefore no surprise that they met that morning at ten o' clock.

"Good sleep?" Kendall asked everyone, yawning. They nodded sleepily... before Carlos asked, "You know, if Gustavo isn't there, could we come back for a siesta?"

"A what?" James asked.

"To sleep," Logan replied grumpily. He wasn't the happiest of people when he had a deficiency of rest.

"Ohhhh... So are we going now?"

"Yep. Who's hungry besides me?" Kendall asked.

Suddenly everyone seemed wide awake. "And who has money?" The mood changed yet again.

"So I assume hot dogs on me?"

The smiles of his three best friends were enough for an answer.

...

Merrily munching away at their breakfast/ lunch, BTR made their way into Rocque Records, now, much more awake than they were initially. That's what walking around in California did to you... Carlos doubted he wanted to go back to bed yet. As the doors closed behind them, a loud thunderclap rocked the building. And it began to rain. Ominous seemed like the best word to describe the atmosphere at that time. They went up the elevator to the second floor where they found Kelly patiently awaiting their arrival.

"Boys, I wanted to let you hear something after rehearsal, 'kay?" she said, after greeting them.

"Yeah, sure. Anything."

"Today Gustavo wants to record a new song, called Worldwide."

"Ummm... Kelly, why are you telling us this and not Gustavo?"

"He's not feeling very well today so I'm sort of helping him with the necessary 'boring' parts of his job."

The boys exchanged looks. "Would he be okay for the tour? We _are _leaving in two days."

Kelly tensed. "After practice," was all she murmured.

...

_Wait a minute,_

_Before you tell me anything,_

_How was your day,_

_Cuz I've been missing,_

_You by my side._

"Dogs, seriously, WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU? Kendall, your timing is totally off. Logan, I can't tell if you're dancing or trying to kill mosquitoes. Carlos, why are you looking like you want a bed? And James..."

James smiled his perfect smile.

"No comment."

"They're trying their best Gustavo. They're just tired."

"Tired of what?"

Kelly switched off the mike so the boys wouldn't hear them. "Tired of talking the entire night about going on tour."

Gustavo froze. Kelly's statement had the desired effect on him. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like a word with the dogs..."


End file.
